"American Express will go to court after the American Department of Justice sued it for anti-competitive conduct over the 'swipe fees' that it charges merchants. Visa and MasterCard reached a settlement with the American authorities over the same charges, under which the two card companies will no longer stop retailers from steering customers to alternative, cheaper means of payment. Amex charges the highest swipe fee of the three." (notis på s 9)

Prissättningen på järnmalm på världsmarknadenEconomist, 1 juli 2010:

"For decades the system for setting the price of the iron ore that feeds the world’s steel mills was as inflexible as the girders it was turned into. Annual negotiations between the world’s three biggest miners—Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton and Vale—and steelmakers set a benchmark price for ore delivered under long-term contracts. But the emergence of China as a big buyer, which felt it should have more control over prices, helped precipitate that system’s demise earlier this year.That was a blow to steelmakers accustomed to predictable prices for their most important ingredient. Others are happier, however. Miners now sell their wares on the spot market or on three-month contracts linked to spot prices, avoiding fractious negotiations and enabling them to take speedier advantage of fast-rising prices. And the shift has also been a boon to traders in the rapidly growing market for iron-ore derivatives."

Economist, "Fixed ore floating", 1 juli

Naturgaskartell?FT, 22 mars 2010:

"Algeria, one of the three biggest suppliers of gas to Europe, called on fellow gas-exporting countries yesterday to reduce production in order to boost prices.It is the first time Chalkib Khelil, Algeria's energy minister, has made such a clear plea for united action and highlights the pressure gas producers are facing because of oversupply, especially in Europe.If countries such as Qatar and Russia agree to the plan, it could transform the natural gas market and lead to higher prices. Analysts suggest such agreement could be possible for the first time if prices fall further in the coming months.Mr Khelil pegged the perfect gas price at $13-$14 per million British thermal units. Gas prices in the US, the most liquid market, are currently about $4.30 per million Btu, with some traders expecting them to fall to $3 - an eight-year low - by the summer.He said he would propose the plan at the April meeting of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum in Oran, Algeria.Algeria hopes the meeting will have the same effect on gas prices as the December 2008 meeting of the Opec oil cartel had on oil prices, which more than doubled after the cartel decided to slash production.The GECF, a loose grouping, has so far made no concerted effort to coordinate production policy to influence prices, though the idea has been mooted."